This invention relates in general to solar cells and in particular to a new and useful arrangement or array of such cells and to a method of manufacturing the array.
Solar arrays are known. Particularly in spaceship technology, the energy necessary for supplying the instruments and other devices of the spaceship is generated by semiconductor solar cell arrays, also termed solar batteries or solar generators. These arrays extend in large-surface arrangement outwardly of the spaceship or cover the ship to intercept as much of the solar radiation as possible.
One of the principal problems in the manufacture of solar arrays, as well as their later application, is the intercontacting of the solar cells with one another. Usually, each N-type zone of one of the solar cells is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the P-type zone of the adjacent solar cell by means of contacting metal connectors, for example of silver, as disclosed for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,375,141 and 3,713,893. It is well known to join the contacting connectors to the solar cell either during the manufacture of the latter, for example, by vapor deposition, as shown in West German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1564935, or to connect the finished solar cells by means of separately manufactured contacting connectors which, in such a case, are welded, cemented, etc. thereto, as shown in West German Auslegungschrift No. 1927387.
The necessity of saving weight in the spaceship applications leads to a tendency of reducing the thickness of the solar cells, for example from 0.67 mm as provided in the DIAL and AEROS satellites, to superthin cells such as of 0.125 mm including the coverings. The produced solar arrays are of the nature of foils. Contacting of such solar cells raises problems of expansion at temperature variations, or also of mechanical stresses which strongly influence the contacting connectors. Further, since the thin solar cells are of extremely delicate nature, a technique must be provided for interconnection which would not affect them in any way. For this reason, prior art contacting connectors such as disclosed, for example, in German Offenlegunschrift No. 1807818 which are directly soldered or cemented on the cell, are not satisfactory.